Semi-translucent surface materials can be etched to form images within the material. One such material is Corian®, an acrylic-based product manufactured by DuPont®. The etching can be derived from a scanned photographic image, which is reproduced into the solid material with an etching process that utilizes precision milling equipment. The milling equipment is programmed to create an image in the solid material. Lighter areas of the image are cut the deepest into the material. The resultant image is well suited to illumination through a back-light. However, the sharpness and resolution of the etched image is often compromised by the digital translation of the scanned image to the etching. A process is needed that better reproduces the photographic quality image in exact detail, without undue experimentation.